SEPTEMBER TOPIC - Sleep

Sleep Issues

Sleep has been in the news recently with a recent article from the BBC News Health finding that people who sleep six hours a night or less are more likely to catch a cold when exposed to the virus, a novel human experiment has found.

Sleep has always been a hot topic in the medical world especially in counselling practices as sleep can have a profound effect on health and well being. A study conducted in 2011 found that 30% of people are severely sleep deprived putting them more at risk of mental health and relationship issues. The authors also point out that psychological approaches are recommended. In particular they recommend cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which they say is the most effective treatment for chronic insomnia, with research finding it associated with improvement in 70% of cases.

a poor sleep routine – going to bed too early or too late, or not relaxing properly before bed

a poor sleep environment – sleeping somewhere uncomfortable, or with too much light or noise

changes to sleep patterns – working night shifts or sleeping in a new place can be a problem if your body doesn’t adjust

unhelpful psychological associations – developing anxieties or phobias about going to sleep after a period of poor sleep, or associating the bedroom with being active

physical illness – being uncomfortable or in pain, having a physical sleep condition such as snoring or sleep apnoea (problems breathing while sleeping), or having a hormone or neurological disorder such as an overactive thyroid or Parkinson’s disease

medication – having trouble sleeping as a side effect of certain medication, such as epilepsy and asthma drugs, or antidepressants

stress, worry and anxiety – feeling nervous about a specific issue, such as work, money, family or relationships; or a specific event, such as an interview or appointment

trauma – finding it hard to sleep after experiencing a traumatic event, such as an accident or a bereavement; experiencing long-term sleep problems as a result of long-term trauma or abuse, particularly if the trauma happened during childhood

mental health problems (see below).

If your sleeping problems are caused by a mental health problem, such as depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a talking treatment may help you address the underlying cause.

If all these tips and help hasn't improved your sleep and you would like to talk about sleep or other problems please contact me to book an initial consultation.